Good first night restaurant?

[RysMomma]

I'm looking for a good restaurant that we can go to our first night there. We don't really care what park or resort (or even DD). We just want a restaurant that will not be difficult to get a reservation for during free dining. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[heycher]

I know it's not a particularly easy ADR to attain, but I researched this same question for our upcoming trip in July. Chef Mickeys won out, and it seems like many people think it is a great dinner to start the trip out with.

 

[dvcdisney]

In the past, I have always booked the restaurant at the resort we will be staying in. However, we have learned, due to changes and delays with the airlines, we have decided to eat CS meals (at the resort) for our first dinner.

However, I did find that most resorts that we have stayed in had availability for the few times we had no delays and had time to eat a TS meal. Here are my experience. The following is the ones that we could easily get into:

Boma (after 7:30pm)
Captain's Grille
Spoodles (but they are changing this soon, so probably redundant at this point)
Kona Cafe
Grand Floridian Cafe
Maya Grill
Turf Club at SSR

However, the following restaurants we found a bit harder to get in with short notice:

Whispering Canyon Cafe
Cape May Cafe

I'm sure there are many others, but these ones are the only ones we tried with very little notice.

Good Luck.

 

[lisaj68]

I know it's not a particularly easy ADR to attain, but I researched this same question for our upcoming trip in July. Chef Mickeys won out, and it seems like many people think it is a great dinner to start the trip out with.

I have to agree! This will be our second trip and went/will go to CM our first night. It's great to see all of the characters our first day there, especially since we won't be hitting a park that day. We found the food to be only okay, but it was a great, fun time!

 

[BostonRob]

I think you should clarify your request.
Are you looking for a good first night experince? If so, a lot of people agree that chef mickey's is a great way to start; I've booked it for my first night, myself.
Or are you saying that you need somewhere to eat on your first night and you're looking for a good restaurant? I don't think Chef Mickey's would be the answer to that question. I've never had dinner there, but the reviews I've read hear seem to run from average to lousy, in terms of food quality.

 

[jstouder]

We like going to Epcot our first night. Biergarten is a favorite for us.

 

[UK Princess]

I am in a similar position - we are flying in from UK and due to time difference and potential for delays I don't want to book anything as I just don't know what we'll feel like doing... We arrive mid afternoon but that is going to feel much later to us.

However I have been waiting to go to WDW my whole life and really want to make the most of the first night there as it will be the only one I ever get!

 

[1girl1boy]

I am in a similar position - we are flying in from UK and due to time difference and potential for delays I don't want to book anything as I just don't know what we'll feel like doing... We arrive mid afternoon but that is going to feel much later to us.

However I have been waiting to go to WDW my whole life and really want to make the most of the first night there as it will be the only one I ever get!

Hey there

My parents flew in from UK to meet me (I Live in NC) and we went out the night they arrived to RFC in DTD and then did the night parade and Wishes at MK. Yes they were tired when they arrived with time difference but then they got their 2nd wind and were raring to go espec with the thunderstorms at RFC LOL.

You might want to not waste a park ticket given you are not sure how tired you will be but look at resort or DTD. Good luck

 

[DisneyTinkerbell]

We always do Chef Mickey's for dinner on our first night at WDW. It is a tradition that my whole family loves. We are doing it again in July.

 

[ShannonMB]

I would like to suggest TRex cafe at DTD. We had SUCH a great time there on our first day last trip. I'm thinking since it's not on the dining plan, it would not be any more crowded than usual during free dining.

We LOVED that place so much, we are going back on our first day next trip as well.